Development of a Multi-spectral and Polarimetric Technique for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW)

Passive electro-optical (EO) imaging of submerged submarines has been the subject of research for almost three decades. Previous efforts, which have focused on the use of passive, multi-spectral imaging (MSI) methods to detect, classify, and localize submerged submarines, have been hampered by scene clutter and false alarms due to sea foam. Including polarization will enhance the multi-spectral techniques by splitting the signal content into polarized and unpolarized bands. This has the potential to increase detection performance by helping to isolate the surface clutter due to surface reflection of skylight from the scattering of sunlight by white water and the upwelling light from below the surface. Areté proposes to develop a non real-time algorithm for a robust detection-processing stream suitable for polarimetric MSI. In its Phase I effort, Areté demonstrated optimal operational geometries and filter selection for Jerlov water-type IB. This work will be extended to other water types as part of the algorithm development effort in Phase II. Areté’s simulator, a state-of-the-art tool that was demonstrated in Phase I to be consistent with existing data, will be used for algorithm development during Phase II. To refine its detection-processing algorithm, Arete proposes further to obtain GFE data (EPAS data).